Striper fishing improving

Capt. Rick Owen of Rick’s Striper/Hybrid Guide Service is experiencing excellent fishing for stripers. The water conditions are dangerous and the ramps are a problem, but if you can get on the water and proceed cautiously, you will find good striper fishing. They had one fish to break off this week that appeared to exceed forty pounds. Big fish are feeding on gizzard shad, trout and blueback herring fished on “free lines” with planer boards or balloons. Down rods are working well on humps, points and river channels. Stripers are moving up the river channels now with the Tugaloo River and Seneca River fishing very good.

Call Rick at 864-356-7271 to book a trip and check out his website at www.ricksguideservice.com for details. Rick has gift certificates for holiday giving and offers instructional trips for those new to striper fishing.

Capt. Chris Schuber of Keowee’s Fishboy Adventures reports good topwater success early and late for bass with Zara Spooks and ½ oz. buzzbaits in pearl white. Lake Fork swim baits are working in 3 ½” blue back herring color. Carolina rigs using watermelon seed color are working well off points and islands in 15 to 25 feet of water. Spotted bass have moved deep and are responding to drop shot rigs with “Fish Belly” in speckled minnow coloration. Average size is running 1 to 3 ½ pounds with the occasional larger fish.

Contact Capt. Chris at 864-888-7974 for booking or check his website at www.fishboyadventures.com for more details.

Alex Orr of Jocassee Outdoor Center advises that trout fishing has slowed down. Trolling spoons and large minnows slowly at 70-80 foot depths is attracting some fish. Largemouth and spots are fishing well on Zara Spooks fished early and late and dark green plastic worms fished 30-40 feet from shore.

Jocassee Outdoor Center will host another trout tournament on Dec. 6. The entry fee is $45 and you can call 864-944-9016 to register or show up early on that date to enter.

Spider Littleton of DK Littleton Outfitters (www.dklittleton.com) reports that trout streams are still suffering from the drought, but some areas are fishing well. The lower Chattooga River has not been stocked yet, but the upper part in the “Big Bend” area is yielding some good catches. The East Fork French Broad, upper Davidson River near the hatchery and the Tuckaseegee are yielding good catches. Redfish and sea trout are “on fire” on the SC coastal waters.

The whitetail deer rut is in full swing now and probably for another week or two. Chuck Mulkey has seen some huge bucks coming into his taxidermy shop in Anderson (Chuck’s Taxidermy – 864-296-8464). He told me about Kathy Wiles in Abbeville taking a buck of 180 pounds, 10 points that will score in the 130 to 140 range. Chuck also processes deer and has taken in over 1,100 deer so far this season.

Mid-day is a good time to be in the woods during the rut. Traditionally, the early hours yield the good bucks, so this is a chance to sleep in a little later and still have a good hunt.

Check out Chuck’s program on Saturdays on WRIX from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. It is the Southern Woods and Waters show. He will be talking about some of the trophy deer of this season on Saturday’s show.

Ted Eller of Backwoods Taxidermy (864-630-9309) is a GTA certified taxidermist that recently relocated to the Travelers Rest area. Ted was on his way back from Lee County, Georgia when I spoke with him. He was bringing a 12 point, 247 pound buck, with a drop tine that would green score 150 that a client had taken. Ted is a QDMA donor and is a welcome addition to the local deer hunting fraternity.

Did you hear about the 14-year-old Amish boy who took a 30-point massive buck with a homemade bow? Check out my website to read about it on the hunting articles page and see the photos. It is a magnificent buck.

Contact me at lross3871@charter.net or 864-238-1944 with questions or comments. My latest book “Fly Rods, Good Dogs and Straight Shooting Guns” is available on www.PublishAmerica.com and will soon be available on my website.